April 2017

In this month's edition:

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Child safety in the home
iService simplifies request and incident management
AAA classes offer guidance, fellowship for caregivers
Kudos: Gabriel Krivosh
Photo: Human Services Block Grant
Photo: Project Prom for Gentlemen
New report: Developing predictive risk models to support child maltreatment hotline screening decisions

News articles are uploaded to the DHS website as soon as they become available. For the most up-to-date news, visit DHS News online .

Child Abuse Prevention Month: Child safety in the home

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year, the Department of Human Services (DHS) is encouraging caregivers to keep children safe by ensuring dangerous ingestibles are stored out of sight and out of reach.

iService simplifies request and incident management

On March 13, the Department of Human Services (DHS) launched the iService portal, a software tool replacing both RemedyForce and DHSRequest.

AAA classes offer guidance, fellowship for caregivers

Becoming a family member’s caregiver is often a role stepped into with minimal experience or preparation; however, the Department of Human Services (DHS) Area Agency on Aging (AAA) offers a free education series designed to ease the transition.

Kudos: Gabriel Krivosh

Gabriel Krivosh, field service coordinator at the Allegheny Link, was selected to receive The Locker Room Leadership Award.

Human Services Block Grant

DHS held three public meetings/hearings on April 14 and April 25 to discuss the 2017-18 Human Services Block Grant plan and its implementation.

To learn more about the Human Services Block Grant Plan, please visit the DHS website.

On April 20, nearly 80 students, parents, mentors and teachers gathered to learn proper etiquette, network, and enjoy a catered meal. Joel Gray, community outreach coordinator for the Pittsburgh Pirates, provided a keynote presentation on the Negro League and its significance to the game of baseball. Guests left the event with a complimentary gift bag; a voucher for a free tuxedo rental; and an increased knowledge of how to treat themselves, and others, with dignity and respect.

New report: Developing predictive risk models to support child maltreatment hotline screening decisions

A new report has been posted to http://www.alleghenycountyanalytics.us

In August 2016, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) implemented the Allegheny Family Screening Tool (AFST), a predictive risk model designed to improve call screening decision-making in the county’s child welfare system. The AFST is the result of a two-year process of exploration, research, ethical analysis and training.

The AFST calculates a score by integrating and analyzing hundreds of data elements; the Family Screening Score predicts the long-term likelihood of re-referral, if the referral is screened out without an investigation, or home removal, if the referral is screened in for investigation. The score provides additional information – in conjunction with clinical judgement – to assist child welfare workers make a call screening decision.

This publication consists of three documents: 1) Developing Predictive Risk Models to Support Child Maltreatment Hotline Screening Decisions: Allegheny County Methodology and Implementation; 2) Ethical Analysis: Predictive Risk Models at Call Screening for Allegheny County; and 3) DHS’s response to the Ethical Analysis. Together, they provide a look at the development and implementation of the AFST.

We welcome your story ideas, employee news and comments. If you’ve got news you’d like to see in DHS News, please contact Mark Bertolet at mark.bertolet@alleghenycounty.us or 412-350-3439.

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